Apparatus for balancing measuring instruments



June 30, 1936. J H K 2,045,677

APPARATUS FOR BALANCING MEASURING INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 7, 1934 INVENTOR.

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' ATTORNEY.

F atented June; 3% llh h ing? spares;-

APPARA'EU FOR BAIANCIN'G EEEASTUEWGJ ENSTRUMENTQ has. r. Schoch, Philadelphia,

Leeds and Northrup Company,

has, assignor tc hhiiadelphia,

Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December i, 19%, Serial Na. 756.3% d Q'Jlaims. i'iUl. Wi 95) Myinvention relates to apparatus for statically ialancing the rotatable assembly of a measuring nstrument, specifically, the movable coil assemly of an electrical measuring instrument, such is a moving coil galvanometer.

In accordance with my invention, the balancing )f the rotatable element of a measuring instrument is accomplished with substantially no increase in its moment of inertia, which remains constant throughout the balancing operation. When balancing a plurality of similar elements in this manner, the time constants of -the instruments of which they form a part are substantially unaffected, so that damping of the several instruments may be uniform. This type of balancing is accomplished by disposing the element with the axis about which it is to be balanced in a horizontal plane and'adjusting the angular distribution of mass of the element to balance the element in two or more positions, at the same time maintaining constant the total mass of the element and its radial distribution.

The balancing mechanism of my invention may comprise a pair of masses supported from the element and mounted for independent movement about the balancing axis at fixed distances therefrom, the products of the masses and their respective radii to their centers of masses preferably being equal. While a given element may be balanced by a pair of masses, mounted as described above, by random movements of the masses, to produce successive balancing of the element in different positions, there are described hereinafter two specific methods of approach which are efiective-to simplify and shorten the balancing process.

In accordance with one method, the element, provided with a pair of equal and similar balancing masses, mounted similarly at equal and fixed distances from the balancing axis, is positioned with its balancing axis in a horizontal plane; the masses are moved through equal angles in the same direction to balance the element in a given position; the element. is then moved about the balancing axis through substantially 90 and the masses moved through substanti'ally equalangles in opposite directions to rebalance the element, the above-described cycle being repeated until a statecf balance is obtained in the two positions displaced by 90.

In accordance with another procedure embodying my invention, the element is positioned, as described above, and the masses are adjusted to balance the element in aposition in which the radii from thebalancing axis to the centers of gravity of the masses make equal angles with sides thereof. This condition can usually be determined easilyfby noting the angle of the supporting arms of the masses with the vertical,

the vertical through the axis and lie on opposite which will be a very close approximation of the above condition. Thereafter, the element is moved about its axis through substantially 90 and is rebalanced by moving the masses through equal angles in opposite directions, whereupon the element will be balanced for all positions.

For a better understanding of my invention, together with other and further ieatures thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. v

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective a high sensitivity galvanometer illeluding balancing means by which the method of my invention may be carried out:

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a coil unit similar to that of Fig. 1 but provided with a modified mounting iorthe balancing masses;

Figs. 3a to 3d specific method of practicing my invention, to aid in the understanding thereof; while Figs. 4a, 4b are schematic diagrams of an alternative procedure for practicing my invention.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a rotatable coil galvanometer comprising a supporting base or frame it upon which is mounted a field member illustrated as a horseshoe magnet it, provided with a pair of pole pieces i2, between which is disposed a stationary armature it also supported from the base ill. The pole pieces i2 and armature i3 cooperate to form a pair of air gaps having substantially constant and uniform fields in which is mounted a movable coil structure it having supporting frames Ma and Nb to which are secured pillars ice and lid, respectively. The movable coil structure it means of a pair of filamentary strands or wires 95 constituting lead-in wires tor the coil N and secured to the posts Mo and Md and supported from brackets or arms is and Nb, projecting from the frame It, as by suitable collars and set screws IS. The galvanorneter may be provided with a. reflecting mirror or, as illustrated, .a defleeting member or pointer I'I cooperating with a scale i8.

The balancing mechanism for the above described rotatable element comprises a weight or mass it supported at the end of an arm or extension 2fi of relatively small cross-sectional area having a split sleeve 28 frictionally engaging the pillar or collar M and mounted for angular movement about the pivotal axis of the coil assembly it. Similarly, a second balancing mass or weight 22 is attached to an arm 23 supported from. a split sleeve 2% engaging the pillar Md. By adjusting the balancing weights l9 and 22, as described hereinafter, the rotatable coil assem bly M may be statically balanced'for all positions are schematic diagrams of 0118.20

is suspended by' without changing the total moment of inertia or the time constant of the rotatable assembly as a whole.

In certain instances, the balancing of the retatable coil assembly I is facilitated by moving the masses l9 and 22 through equal angles in the same direction. Such a movement may be secured by the modification of Fig. 2 in which corresponding elements are identified by like reference characters. In this arrangement, one of the masses, for example, the mass I 9, and its supporting arm and split sleeve 2|, rather than being mounted directly upon the upper collar Mc, frictionally engages an extension of the split sleeve 24' upon which the mass 22 is supported. In this way, by moving the mass 22, the mass I 9 is carried therewith so that the two masses move as a unit. At the same time, the mass 22 may be held fixedand the mass l9 moved at will, the frictional engagement between the collars 24 and 2i retaining the masses l9 and 22 in their proper relationship when released.

The principles of operation of the above described galvanometer per so are entirely familiar to those skilled in the art and need not be described here'. It will be appreciated that in the manufacture and assembly of such instruments, it is impossible to locate the axis of the rotatable coil assembly I 4, as determined by the engagement of the-suspending filaments l5, so that the rotatable coil assembly will be statically balanced in all positions. On the other hand, if the coil I4 is not balanced, any tilting of the instrument, in use, would introduce an error into the reading of the instrument. It is clear that if the sumof the products of the masses I9 and 22 and their respective radii to their centers of gravity is equal to the product of the mass of the rotatable coil assembly and its eccentricity, the system may be balanced by properly adjusting the weights I9 and 22. This is true because of the fact that each of the weights is and 22 is movable through a complete 360 so that its effective components along either of any pair of rectangular reference planes including the axis of rotation of the instrument ll, may be given any plus or minus value up to and including the magnitude of the mass.

While the balancing of the above described apparatus may be eifected by random movements of the masses l9 and 22 until the rotatable assembly is balanced in any position, thebalancing process may be simplified and shortened by following one or the other of the following rational approaches.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 3a of the drawing, there is shown schematically the relationship of a. rotatable coil assembly similar to that of Fig. 1 and represented by the character A, and the pair of balancing masses l9 and 22. It may be assumed that the center of gravity of the rotatable coil assembly A is located at the point a and that the resultant of the masses l9 and 22 may be considered as concentrated at the point b midway therebetween. If the instrument be placed so that the axis of rotation 0 is in a horizontal plane, Fig. 3a then represents a condition of balance. It is well known that if a pivotally mounted structure is statically balanced in both of two positions displaced by 90, it is balanced in all positions. In such an instrument, it becomes convenient to determine the two positions, displaced by 90, by means 01' the pointer I! of the coil assembly. For example, referring to Fig. 3b, the pointer of the coil assembly A has been moved to the horizontal position and the weights is and 22 have been moved through equal angles, that is, as a unit, from the position of Fig. 3a to that of Fig. 3b to balance the assembly A in this position.

If, now, the assembly A be moved to the position shown in Fig. 3c, in which the positions 01' the masses i9 and 22 corresponding to Fig. 3b are shown in dotted lines, it will be seen that the moment of the mass of the assembly A, act- 1 ing at the. point a, and the resultant of the masses i9 and 22 acting at the point b, both produce clockwise torques about the axis of rotation so that the system is unbalanced. If, now, the masses l9 and 22 be moved through equal angles 1 in a clockwise direction, that is, as a unit, to the pmitions shown in full-line, the system again is balanced. By now returning the assembly A to its initial position, in which the pointer is horizontal as shown in Fig. 3d, leaving the masses i9 and 22 in their last positions, as shown by the dotted lines, the system is no longer balanced, for it is seen that the point of action b of the resultant of the masses i9 and 22, in Fig. 312, is displaced from the horizontal axis by an angle smaller than 25 that in the position of Fig. 3b so that the lever arm of the resultant of the masses is greater in Fig. 30 than in Fig. 3b, in which the system is balanced. If the masses l9 and 22 are moved through substantially equal and opposite small 3.; angles to the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 3d, the center of gravity 1) of the masses i 9 and 22 is moved toward the axis of rotation by an amount sufllcient to put the system again in balance. 3

It can be seen that if the system A again be returne'd to the position of Fig. 30, it will be slightly out of balance, since the center of gravity of r the masses [9 and 22 has been moved toward the axis of rotation and the lever arm 01 the 4 resultant 01' these masses is slightly decreased. However, the error now is of a lower order of magnitude than that corrected by the movement indicated in Fig. 3d. This error can be corrected by a very slight movement of the masses l9 and 22 as a unit, in a clockwise direction. The above described steps can be repeated; the assembly, alternately moved between the positions shown in Figs. 3b and 30, being balanced in one 01' the positions by movement of the masses l9 and 22 5 through equal angles in the same direction, as depicted in Fig. 3c, and in alternate positions by movement of the masses l9 and 22 through substantially equal angles in. opposite directions, as illustrated in Fig. 3d. As a practical matter, the 5 above described process need be repeated only a few times to secure an absolute balance of the system within the observable limits. In certain cases, and for certain initial positions of the balancing weights i9 and 22, the first balancing operation may be efiected more easily by moving a single one 01' the weights and thereafter completing the balancing as described above.

In Figs. 4a and 4b are shown diagrammatically steps in balancing the rotatable coil assembly which, in certain instances, may be more expeditious. In accordance with this procedure, the masses is and 22 are initially placed in the position in which their radii to their centers of gravity make a substantial angle to each other 7 less than 180, for example, in the neighborhood of as shown in Fig. 3a. Assuming the elements to be in-the relative positions of Fig. 3a, the masses is and 22 are moved through equal angles in the same direction, that is, as a unit, (5

until they occupy the positions of Fig. 4a in the balanced condition of the assembly. In this position, it will be seen that the radii to the centers of gravity of the masses l9 and 22 make equal angles with the vertical and that the masses lie on opposite sides of the vertical. In the usual construction, this can easily be detected approximately by noting the positions of the supporting arms 2d and 23 of the masses it and 22, respectively, (see Fig. 1). With the elements in the relative positions of Fig. 4a, it is seen that the center of gravity a of the system A and the center of gravity b of the masses [9 and 22 both lie on the vertical. This is necessarily true, neglecting the torsion of the coil suspension, if the masses i9 and 22 are equal in magnitude and supported at fixed and equal distances from the axis of rotation or, more generally, if the products of the masses i9 and 22 and their respective radii to their centers of gravity are equal. Since the system comprising the masses i9 and 22 is symmetrical, its center of gravity b must lie on the vertical bisecting the angle between their radii to their centers of masses. If this is the case, the center of gravity of the system A must also be on this vertical if the system is balanced, otherwise, the mass of the system A, acting at the center of gravity a, would have a component of torque about the axis of rotation which would move the system from the position indicated.

Let the structure as a whole now be moved in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 4a, through 90, to the position of Fig. 4b, the actual position of the pointer of the assembly A being immaterial. If the masses iii and 22 are moved from their initial positions,

on opposite sides of the point a, through equal and opposite angles to the new position shown in full lines, such that tire assembly is balanced in this position, the system as a whole will now be balanced for all positions. Thus, the system has been entirely balanced by substantially only two movements of the balancing masses i9 and 22.

While I have specifically described two sequences of balancing a rotatable element in accordance with my invention, it will be'readily apparent that numerous other sequences may be devised embodying the same general principle; that is, placing the element in a horizontal position and adjusting the angular distribution of the mass of the element as a whole to balance the element in a given position, moving the ele ment substantially through 90, and again rebalancing by varying the angular distribution of the mass of the element as a whole, at all times maintaining constant the total mass of the system and the radial distribution of mass.

While I have described what I at present consider the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from my invention and I, therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a measuring instrument including a rotatable element, means for mounting said element for angular movement about an axis of rotation, means for statically balancing the element about its axis of rotation comprising a massinciuding a radial extension supported from said element for independent movement about said axis, and a second mass including a radial extension, said first mentioned extension forming a support for said extension of said second mass for independent movement of said masses about said axis, the products of said masses and their respective radii to their centers of gravity 1 being equal.

2. In combination, a measuring instrument provided with a movable element subject to static unbalance, means supporting said element for deflection about a given axis of rotation, said static unbalance introducing errors in the deflection of said element when the axis thereof is tilted, balancing means for said element comprising at least a pair of masses each of which includes a radial extension of relatively small cross-sectional area, the major portion of each of said masses being concentrated at one end of its radial extension, supporting means carried by the opposite ends of each of said extensions, and. means rigidly secured to said element and frictionally engaged by said supporting means providing for unrestricted independent movement of said masses about said axis of rotation to' positions to balance statically said element without changing the moments of inertia of said element and said balancing means.

3. In combination, a measuring instrument provided with a movable element, subject to static unbalance, means supporting said element for deflection about a given axis of rotation, said static unbalance introducing errors in the deflection of said element when the axis thereof is tilted, balancing means for said element comprising at least a pair of masses each oi which includes a radial extension of relatively small cross- V sectional area, the major portion of each of said masses being concentrated at one end of its radial extension, supporting means carried by the opposite ends of each of said elements, one of said supporting means nesting within and fric- 'cluding a movable element subject to static unbalance, of filamentary means for supporting said element and fixing the axis of rotation thereof, at least a pair ofmasses, each of which includes radial extensions, and means cooperating with said element for supporting said masses and extensions for unrestricted movement, independently of each other, about the axis of rotation of said element, said means frictionally retaining said masses and extensions in fixed positions to balance statically said movable element, the products of said masses and their respective radii to their centers of gravity being equal.

JOHN F. SCI-ZOCK. 

